Pike County Sheriff Charlie Reader was suspended from his job back in July while authorities investigate 17 charges, some of them felonies, against him. But that doesn’t mean he’s stopped getting a paycheck.
The embattled lawman is still receiving his full $69, 327 Sheriff’s salary despite the fact that he was suspended back in July. The State Auditor’s Office says Reader took money from the Pike County Sheriff’s Office to pay for gambling debts totaling $17,000.
In addition to being charged with four counts of Theft in Office and two counts of Theft, he is also charged with Tampering with Evidence, Securing Writing by Deception, Tampering with Records, and Filing a False Disclosure Form.
The State Auditor had already asked the Ohio Supreme Court to suspend Reader when he agreed to accept the suspension — with pay. His trial isn’t scheduled until April of 2020, which means he could receive his full salary for nearly a year without working.
He recently publicly posted a number of items for sale on Facebook including a Jeep Wrangler, bed frame, mattress, gas fireplace, and fan.
Reader came into the state and national spotlight after the Rhoden family murders in 2016. He announced his plans to run for reelection in 2020 with a Facebook post on November 22.
The post read, in part, “Tired of dope dealers, rapist (sic), and thieves? I am your guy! A working Sheriff that gets the job done!!!”
